1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a magnetic head, typically used in a magnetic disk drive, and more particularly to a thin film magnetic head.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, a recording medium with a higher coercive force is required, due to an ever-increasing recording density of a magnetic disk drive. Under such circumstances, the magnetic core of a write head is formed from a material with a high-saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) that generates a strong magnetic field.
One of the examples of the material having a high saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) is a CoNiFe alloy (Bs>1.7 T). This Bs value is greater than that of a Ni45Fe55 alloy (Bs: 1.6 T), which has been used in magnetic core materials. CoNiFe alloys are described in, for example, Japanese published patent application, JPA 6-89422, JPA 8-241503, JPA 6-346202, and JPA 7-3489. Further, Japanese Patent JP 2821456 describes a method for fabricating a magnetic film with high Bs values by plating in a plating solution that does not contain saccharin sodium. As another example, in Japanese published patent application, JPA 2002-280217, materials based on Co—Fe alloys is disclosed as having a high Bs value.
For a magnetic disk drive capable of high-density recording, a magnetic head with a magnetic core that generates a stronger magnetic field is required. Recently, forming a stable magnetic core with a thick film, using a material that has a high saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) is under study. Such material is required to generate a strong magnetic field that permits writing on a recording medium having a high coercive force.
However, such magnetic head could not be obtained by using any known material based on a CoNiFe alloy, because of white turbidity, bumps of the film surface. Also, any material based on a Co—Fe alloy is poor in corrosion resistance.
Accordingly, what is needed is a magnetic head having a magnetic core that is capable of generating a stronger magnetic field, and at the same time having high corrosion resistance.